By Carol Newman
In a recent column we took the time to highlight an upcoming local conference: the Cannabis Clinical Outcomes Research Conference. At the conference, organizers took note that some participants only learned of the conference through this column. The conference was an overwhelming success and delivered so much valuable information from local and national experts surrounding medical marijuana research.
Jeff Konin
Since the Summer tends to be “conference season” and many are now getting more comfortable attending in-person and live events, perhaps this is a good time to highlight another upcoming conference. The inaugural Cannabis in Sports Conference will take place in Orlando at the Rosen Hotel from July 29-31, 2022. The conference organizers are Gene and Dana Jones, who have successfully hosted the Florida Industrial Hemp Conference and the Florida Medical Cannabis Conference & Exhibition over the past few years.
The Cannabis in Sports Conference has been designed to foster education and networking on the use of cannabis in sports in order to shed light on the proper use of cannabinoids as it relates to athletes. Conference-related topics include, but are not limited to:
- Clinical Applications of Medical Cannabis
- Phytocannabinoids, Endocannabinoids & Synthetic Cannabinoids Research
- Dosing Considerations When Using Cannabis
- Role of Cannabinoids in the management of pain, anxiety and sleep
- Role of Endocannabinoid Function in Post-traumatic Stress Disorder
- Contraindications & Drug Interactions
- Cannabis Education & Provider Approaches
- Cannabis in Sports Industry Trends
- Drug Testing in Sports
The speakers include sports clinicians, sports scientists, coaches, lawyers, and many more! It is a major goal of the event to bring to light the many issues facing sports at all levels surrounding the cannabis space. How has it impacted Olympic and Paralympic athletes? James Gumbert, the most decorated coach in the history of USA Wheelchair Rugby – also known as ‘Murderball” highlights a panel discussion and will provide a perspective from athletes and coaches.
Another special feature will be the inclusion of Josiah Hesse, author of the best-selling book “Runners High: How a Movement of Cannabis-Fueled Athletes Is Changing the Science of Sport.” Josiah Hesse is an author and journalist from Denver, Colorado, whose work has appeared in Vice, Esquire, Politico, and The Guardian.
Conference coordinating will also be shared by Dr. Jeff G. Konin, Clinical Professor in the Department of Athletic Training at Florida International University and the Director of the Global Initiative for Cannabinoid Research & Education. As an international consultant in the area of cannabis and sports performance, Dr. Konin will share his experiences in working with athletes, teams, and leagues as policies slowly loosen and social acceptance increases. What does this mean to performance? Dr. Konin will share some fascinating insights.
This conference should be of interest to anyone who has any interest in sports! You do not need to be a healthcare provider to benefit from the information that will be shared. Parents, coaches, teachers, and many others can take away nuggets of information and the most current trends regarding all forms of cannabis in the sports world at all ages and levels. This is something you don’t want to miss and it is in our own backyard!
You can register for this inaugural conference at cannabisinsportsconference.org.
Dr. Jeff G. Konin is a Clinical Professor in the Department of Athletic Training in the Nicole Wertheim College of Nursing and Health Sciences at Florida International University (FIU) where he directs the Global Initiative for Cannabinoid Research and Education. To learn more about FIU’s cannabinoid research and education initiative you can visit their website at https://go.fiu.edu/GlobalCannabis. Views represented in this column do not reflect that of Florida International University and are solely attributed to Dr. Jeff G. Konin.
